Quality Chess, is sponsoring “Best game of the round” in the Whitsun Grandmasters in Copenhagen, with both players involved in the game getting a book prize. The games are selected by IA Peter Olsen.
In round 2 there were only three decisive games, all in the IM group. The best game of the round was a Sicilian game with a thematic Nd5-combination in an unusual way (because of the open f-file), and a good conversion to a full point.
Whitsun Grandmasters 2014, Round 2, 2014.06.04
White: Schou-Moldt, Thomas (2215)
Black: Nilsen, Joachim Birger (2334)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Bg7 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Nb3 Nf6 7. Be2 O-O 8.O-O d6 9. Bg5 Be6 10. Kh1 Rc8 11. f4 a6 12. Qd2
Bf3 is a more normal move here
12…Na5 13. Nxa5 Qxa5 14. Bd3 Rfd8
14… d5!? is an interesting possibility 15. exd5 Bxd5 16. f5 Bc6 17. Rae1 unclear
15. f5 Bc4 16. Rad1 b5 17. fxg6
Not the best move, but it’s a cunning one. Better is 17. Bxc4 bxc4 18. Qf2 With a steady pressure
17… hxg6?!
17… fxg6 was necessary, but it’s not that obvious that hxg6 is inferior} 18. Bxc4+ bxc4 (18… Rxc4?? 19. e5!+-) 19. Bxf6 Bxf6 20. Qd5+ Qxd5 21. Nxd5 Kg7 22. c3=
18. Nd5!
Thematic
18…Qxd2 19. Nxe7+! Kf8 20. Rxd2
Intending 20…Kxe7 21. Rdf2 Rf8 22. Kg1
20…Nxe4?
White is very low on time, and black is trying too complicate, instead of
just playing a position a pawn down
20… Kxe7 21. Rdf2 Rf8 22. Kg1 Be6 23. Bxf6+ Bxf6 24. Rxf6 Bf5 25. e5 dxe5 26. Rxa6 Bxd3 27. cxd3 but it is likely that black can hold the rook endgame
21. Nxg6+!
Now white has a winning position
21…Kg8 22. Ne7+ Kf8 23. Ng6+ Kg8 24. Ne7+
Gaining some time on the clock.
24. Bxd8 was even stronger 24…Nxd2 25. Ne7+ Kf8 26. Nxc8 Nxf1 27. Bxc4 bxc4 28. Bg5!
24… Kf8 25. Bxe4 Bxf1 26. Nxc8 Rxc8 27. Kg1 Bc4 28. b3
White has a winning position, but in time trouble things can easily go wrong
28…Re8 $1 29. Rxd6 f5
Trying to mess things up, as white is on increment only
30. Rd8!
A practical decision. White only needs to be sure that the black
e-pawn can be controlled
30…Rxd8 31. Bxd8 Bd4+ 32. Kh1 fxe4 33. bxc4 e3
33…bxc4 34. Bh4 is also winning
34. Ba5 bxc4 35. Be1!
but not 35. g4? c3 36. Bc7 e2 37. Bg3 Be3 38. Kg2 Bd2 39. Kf3 e1=Q 40. Bxe1 Bxe1 41. g5 With a draw as the likely result
35… Kf7 36. g4 Kg6 37. Kg2 Bb2 38. Kf3 Bc1 39. h4 Bd2 40. Bg3 c3 41. Bf4 e2 42. Bxd2 1-0
In round 3 the judge rewarded the original play of GM Hector, who also ended the game with a nice rook move!
Whitsun Grandmasters 2014, Round 23 2014.06.04
White: Hector, Jonny (2505)
Black: Bromann, Thorbjorn (2413)
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Nbd7 6. Nf3 h6 7. Nxf6+ Nxf6 8. Bh4 c5 9. Bc4 cxd4 10. O-O Be7 11. Qe2 O-O 12. Rad1 Qb6 13. Ne5N
A new move in this position
13. Nxd4 Qxb2 14. Nf5 exf5 15. Qxe7 is the normal continuation
13… Nd5 14. Bxd5 Bxh4 15. Bb3 Bf6 16. Rd3!
A standard Hector-move – aiming the opponents king!
16…a5 17. a4 Qc5 18. Ng4 Be7 19. c3 dxc3 20. Rxc3 Qb4 21. Bc2 Rd8 22. Ne5 Bf6 23. Rd3 Rxd3 24. Qxd3 Qb6?
24… g6! was absolutely necessary, and also a good move, since it will deny white the access to h7. Maybe black misses, that it’s not possible to play neither Nxg6
or Nxf7} 25. Nxf7 (25. Nxg6 fxg6 26. Qxg6+ Bg7 27. Qh7+ Kf8) 25… Kxf7 26.
Qxg6+ Ke7 27. Qh7+ Kd6!
25. Rd1 Kf8 26. Ng4 Bg5?
The final mistake
26… Qxb2 27. Qh7 Bd4 28. Ne5! Qb6! 29. Qh8+ Ke7 30. Qxg7 Bxe5 31. Qxe5 Bd7 unclear
27. Qh7 f5 28. Ne5 Bf6
Now white can finish the game with a nice move
29. Rd7! 1-0